Needs analysis and the General

English classroom

Paul Seedhouse

Although learners needs are theoretically

of prime importance
in current
learner-centred
approaches,
needs analysis is rarely carried out in the
General English classroom. It is argued that this is partly because of an
erroneous belief that it is not possible to specify the needs of General
English learners,
and partly because of a lack of literature
on the
practicalities
of analysing needs data in the context of General English.
An example of the analysis of psychological
and social needs in one
particular
General English classroom
is worked through in detail. The
purpose of this is to show that it is possible to specify General English
needs, even in the abstract area of psychosocial needs; to demonstrate that
needs analysis can be useful in the General English classroom with respect
to problem-solving
and as a basis for designing
aims, courses, and
materials; and to provide a concrete illustration
of how analysis of data can
be performed,
and how a tight and direct link can be maintained
between
needs, aims, and materials, and what actually occurs in the classroom.

Introduction

Needs analysis tends to be associated with ESP, and is neglected in the

General English classroom. Hutchinson and Waters (1987:53-4) say that
What distinguishes ESP from General English is not the existence of a
need as such but rather an awareness of the need . . . for the time being,
the tradition persists in General English that learners needs cant be
specified and as a result no attempt is usually made to discover learners
true needs.
One might expect to find an increased interest in the analysis of learners
needs at the heart of current learner-centred
and communicative
indeed
there
have
been
several
general
approaches,
and
acknowledgements of the place of needs analysis in curriculum design,
for example in Richards (1990:2): Needs analysis is also fundamental to
the planning of General English courses. However, close analysis has
been noticeably absent: during the past five years, for instance, there have
been no articles on needs analysis in either ELT Journal
or Applied
Linguistics.

The problem for the General English teacher who is interested in needs
analysis appears to be this: there are some excellent guides to the theory of
ELT Journal

Volume 49/1 January

1995 Oxford University Press 1995

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needs analysis (Berwick 1989, Brindley 1989) as well as Munbys

exhaustive lists and taxonomies of communicative needs (Munby 1978).
But the crux of the matter is how one interprets the data collected, and
what one does with it, When you receive a pile of questionnaires back,
how do you convert them in practical terms into courses or materials? As
Berwick (198959) observes: Interpretation is probably the most
practical problem any needs assessment manager is going to encounter
. . .. At this point the General English teacher currently appears to be on
his or her own, without any guidance on how to go about it.
Needs

analysis in
the General
English

classroom

The rest of this article gives an example of how needs data were collected,
interpreted, and translated into materials design. The procedure is not
intended as a guide or a model: there are many possible types of needs
analysis (outlined in Berwick 1989). Rather, it is hoped to provide the
reader with a basis for judging whether it is possible to specify learners
needs in the General English classroom, and whether or not it is a
potentially useful exercise.
In this case the needs analysis was carried out because the learners did not
appear to be validating or engaging with the main coursebook being used.
It must be stressed that this was a particular type of analysis suited to a
particular situation: the emphasis was on discovering motivation, and
psychological and social needs, rather than on making lists of individual
communicative needs or linguistic items.

Needs analysis
questionnaire

Discussion and
Interpretation
of the
data

A needs analysis questionnaire was completed by three classes of students

in Barcelona, a total of twenty-nine young learners, age 14-18 years.
They were asked to answer yes or no and indicate very important items
with a star (see Appendix).
The results were strikingly homogenous, even though the learners filled in
the questionnaires individually and without discussion. This suggests that
the group members had similar needs, and that even at their age the
learners were definitely aware of having specific needs, and were able to
identify them.
There was surprising unanimity concerning the prime motivations: So I
can travel to other countries, So I can speak to foreign people, Because
English is an important world language, and So I can get a better job
when I leave school. Video, computer, and conversation were the
favoured methods of working, with group work the preferred dynamic.
This seemed to suggest that the students strongly disfavoured traditional
learning activities (in contrast to Nunans 1988:90 findings with adult
learners) and wanted to move the focus away from teacher-fronted
activities. It also suggested that they were interested in being entertained.
Grammar was perceived to be by far the biggest problem, and reading by
far the smallest problem, with no significant findings in the other areas.
The data suggested that the primary sources of motivation were
psychological and social. The obvious way to cater for these learners was

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to send them to a summer language course abroad, and many students had
already been on one of these. However, the problem remained of how to
cater for the stated psychosocial needs in a Barcelona classroom. The
questionnaire showed the students were not particularly interested in
learning about Britain, so we had to assume that their motivation was that
they wanted to travel and experience things themselves. They were of
course speaking to a foreign person every lesson (myself), but they were
certainly thinking of interacting with foreigners of their own age. The
impression from their answers was that there was a strong psychosocial
dimension to be catered for here. They wanted to see themselves as
sophisticated, internationally mobile Europeans of the future, for whom
ability in English is vital. Furthermore, they saw English as being the
language of youth culture.
The concept of
the target speech
community

When attempting to cater for psychosocial needs it can be very useful to

try to define the learners target speech community, so that one can
visualize what is being aimed at. The target speech community of this
group can be defined as the Barcelona young learner and the Western
teenager making contact and socializing with one another under the
norms of international youth culture. The Barcelona learners purpose is
to establish social contact, gain access to the worlds of international
travel. youth culture, and entertainment, and have fun.
Using this definition, the coursebook was examined to see why the
learners were not engaging with it. The reasons then became clear:
although the coursebook is excellent in many ways, it does not include
any action in their target speech community, any work on travelling
abroad, meeting foreigners, or English as a world language, and is written
for mature adults.

Development
of a
main aim

Now that the data has been interpreted and the needs more clearly defined,
it is possible to develop a main aim - to cater for the stated psychosocial
needs, and enable the learners to move closer (in psychological and social
terms) to their target speech community. We now need to consider the
practical options for delivery of this aim.
Since changing the main coursebook was not an option in this particular
situation, it was decided to produce materials to cater for the stated main
aim which could supplement the main course.

Assessing
motivations

If we select two out of the four prime motivations - So I can travel to

other countries, and So I can speak to foreign people - a course of
action begins to suggest itself. It may be possible to simulate a trip abroad
including conversations with foreigners. This would correspond closely
to the outlined target speech community.
This brings us on to the preferred methods of learning (computer, video,
conversation, group work), which seems to fit fairly neatly together and
suggest a methodological direction. CALL programs and video-based
tasks can be designed to stimulate conversation among group members:
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Computer simulations can provide a motivating stimulus for free oral

work, as they offer both a focus for oral activity and a continually
changing scenario for learners to talk about. (Jones and Fortescue
1987:63.)
Ideally, in this situation, interactive video (which combines video images
with computer technology) could be used. However, there was no
interactive video equipment available. It was therefore decided to
concentrate on producing a simple computer program for BBC
computers, for which equipment was at hand.
Developing
materials

So the materials which were written were a computer reading maze which
simulates a trip abroad, and includes conversations with foreigners. It is a
reading maze in that the learner makes choices which may send him or her
back to a previous page or forwards towards the way out. It is a simulation
in that the learner has to imagine that he or she is taking part in the story on
screen and is spoken to by the computer. When learners use the software
they read page 1 on the screen (arrive at the airport) and are given choices
as to what to do next (get a taxi, go to the information-desk, accept a lift
from a stranger). Depending on which choice is keyed in, the story
unfolds in different ways, e.g. page 4, or 6, or 7 appears on the screen, with
each page offering a choice of what to do next.
The main aim is to facilitate the learners integration into their target
speech community. The computer program does this by including action
in relevant areas in the storyline. For example, the protagonist has two
social or romantic encounters with teenagers of the opposite sex in which
both parties exchange personal details; the world of international travel is
encountered in difficulties in getting accommodation, and in problems
with changing money and with taxi drivers; the world of youth culture and
entertainment is introduced by an episode in a pub - one of the most
common forms of entertainment for young foreigners in Britain. An
element of fun and adventure is added in the various twists to the
storyline: you can end up as a film star, a victim of a robbery, or a hero on
the front page of the newspapers; you can get married, or simply have a
quiet holiday and go home.

Authenticity

At this point one might object that this simulation of a trip abroad is
hopelessly inauthentic and far from reality: there arent even any
pictures. However, the key issue underlying the materials design here is
learner authenticity:
Another important type of authenticity (perhaps the most important of
all) is what might be called learner authenticity. By this is meant the
realization and acceptance by the learner of the authenticity of a given
text, task, set of materials, or learning activity. For learners to
authenticate materials, these need, minimally, to fulfil two conditions.
In the first place, they need to be recognized by learners as having a
legitimate place in the language classroom. Secondly, they must
engage the interests of the learner by relating to his interests,

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background knowledge, and experience, and, through these, stimulate

genuine communication. (Nunan 1988: 102.)
The materials described here are aiming to achieve strong learner
authenticity precisely because they are based on the classroom activities
which have the highest approval ratings and because they engage their
prime motivations.
Subsidiary
objectives

Subsidiary objectives which derive directly from the main aims are: to
develop conversational and survival skills and an extended lexical set
relating to travel abroad.
These subsidiary objectives were dealt with by being written into the
storyline rather than being self-conscious exercises. Conversational
skills are intended to be developed by interaction between group
members. However, there is simulation of conversation during the two
social or romantic encounters with persons of the opposite sex. The
imaginary conversation partner asks a question, e.g. Where are you
from? by printing the message on the screen and simultaneously
speaking it using the speech synthesis software. The learner is prompted
to type in an answer and to ask questions to his or her imaginary
conversation partner, and so the conversation progresses. The main
purpose here is to introduce some of the most common exchanges which
take place when making contact and socializing with other teenagers. As
can be seen from the evaluation video made of the software being used in
class, the learners found these simulated conversations quite fascinating.
No great claims could be made for this as a language learning exercise,
but the impression from the video was that it was particularly successful
in catering for the main psychosocial need, and therefore furthered the
main aim of the whole task considerably. Having a conversation in
English by means of a computer coincides very precisely with the
students self-image as sophisticated, internationally-mobile Europeans
of the future.
The story catered for the objective of survival skills by including useful
information on travelling, changing money, potential dangers, taxi
drivers, emergency phone numbers, etc.
To fulfil the objective of acquiring a lexical set related to travel, each
group of learners was equipped with a set of vocabulary sheets and a
bilingual dictionary.

Evaluation

Since this was primarily a consciousness-raising exercise rather than one

involved in teaching verifiable linguistic items, the main method of
evaluation had to be that of asking the learners themselves what they felt
the task had achieved. It is of course very difficult to assess whether
psychosocial needs have been catered for, because we cannot see into
learners minds. A simple questionnaire was designed. The materials
were trialled and evaluated with all three target classes. It was felt that the
materials would be successful if the main aim was fulfilled, i.e. if the
learners had drawn closer to their target speech community, and their
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psychosocial needs had been catered for. All students answered that they
had learnt either a little or a lot about travel abroad and speaking to
foreigners, so the aim seems to have been fulfilled to some extent. They
were also asked in the post-task questionnaire what they thought the
reasons were for doing the task. To learn about travel abroad and
speaking to foreigners was by far the most popular answer. The video
made for evaluation purposes of the learners using the software showed
that the learners engaged with the task with enthusiasm, and that learner
authenticity was achieved. The evaluation therefore established a direct
link between their needs and motivations as identified in the needs
analysis, the aims, the materials, and what actually happened in the
classroom.
Conclusion

The purpose of working through a single isolated example of needs

analysis was to establish its potential for application to the General
English classroom. Although it is not possible to generalize from this
example, the following conclusions may be reached:
1 In the case of this particular class, the questionnaire results suggested
that the learners (although young) had a very clear idea of their own needs
and wants. Even in the rather nebulous area of psychosocial needs it
proved possible to specify and define them.
2 The needs analysis was carried out in order to solve a particular
problem, and proved successful in identifying the source of the problem.
3 The needs analysis data suggested a direction for materials design to
tackle the problem.
4 Course design and materials design can be based directly on needs
analysis in the General English classroom.
Needs analysis may be the preferred basis for design because of the
concept of learner authenticity, and because a direct link can be drawn
from needs to aims to course design, classroom implementation, and
Given
interest
in psycholinguistics
and
evaluation.
current
sociolinguistics, examination of psychosocial needs may be a rewarding
area to pursue, and the concept of the target speech community can be
especially helpful in converting psychosocial needs into practical aims
and course design.
Received

August

1993

References
Berwick, R. 1989. Needs assessment in language

programming in R. K. Johnson.
Brindley, G. 1989. The role of needs analysis in
adult ESL programme design in R. K. Johnson.
Hutchinson, T. and A. Waters. 1987. English for
Specific
Purposes.
Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Johnson,

R.

Curriculum.

64

K.

1989.

The

Second

Language

Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press.
1987. Using Computers
in the Language Classroom. Harlow: Longman.
Munby, J. 1978. Communicative
Syllabus Design.

Jones, C. and S. Fortescue.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

D. 1988. The Learner-Centred
Curriculum.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Nunan,

Richards,
Matrix.

J. C. 1990. The Language

Cambridge:

Teaching

Cambridge

University

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Press.

Paul Seedhouse

Appendix

QUESTIONNAIRE

Purposes

RESULTS

and reasons:

Why are you learning English?

So I get better marks at school

So I can pass an examination in English
So I can travel to other countries
So I can speak to foreign people
So I can get a better job when I leave school
So I can learn about Britain
So I can understand pop songs in English
So I can understand films or TV in English
So I can understand books in English
Because my parents want me to learn English
Because I enjoy learning English
Because my friends go to the Instituto Britnico
Because English is an important world language
I dont know why Im learning English
Ways of learning:

Yes

No

14
20
29
29
27
7
18
23
26
13
18
0
29
2

15
9
0
0
2
22
11
6
3
16
11
29
0
27

Yes
10
26
28
25
18
19
23
15
4
6
23
28
22

No
16
3
1
4
10
8
6
12
23
21
4
1
5

Star
1
4
18
12
16
1
1

2
15

How do you like to learn?

Grammar
Conversation
Video
Computer
Listening to cassettes
Writing
Reading
Learning vocabulary
Homework
Working alone
Pair work
Group work
Whole class work

Star
1
11
16
15
2
1
6
1

4
2

Problems: Which areas of English are the biggest problem for you? (The lower
the number the bigger the problem.)
124
How to pronounce English words
130
Speaking
130
Listening (understanding English people)
173
Reading
132
Writing
135
Learning new words (vocabulary)
140
Spelling
70
Grammar

The author

Paul Seedhouse has taught EFL in Austria, Thailand,

Brunei, and Spain, and is currently Lecturer in EFL at
the Norwegian Study Centre, University of York. He
Needs analysis

and General

has an RSA Diploma in TEFL and an MSc in

Teaching English from Aston University.
His
interests are in CALL, and the analysis of learner
discourse.
English

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